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Vandenberg Space Force Base, California — SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying South Korea’s Compact Advanced Satellite 500-2 (CAS500-2) Earth observation satellite and 44 additional payloads on a rideshare mission early Sunday, May 3, 2026 (local time).

The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 11:59 p.m. PDT on Saturday, May 2. The mission proceeded nominally, with the primary satellite deploying approximately one hour after liftoff into a sun-synchronous orbit at about 498 kilometers (309 miles) altitude.

CAS500-2, a roughly 500 kg-class satellite developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) under the leadership of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), is designed for high-resolution Earth observation. It features panchromatic imaging with 0.5-meter ground resolution and multispectral (color) imaging at 2-meter resolution. Its primary applications include disaster monitoring, agricultural observation, land management, and supporting South Korea’s growing space capabilities.

The satellite, also referred to as the next-generation mid-sized Earth observation satellite No. 2, made initial contact with a ground station in Svalbard, Norway, shortly after separation and later established communication with South Korean ground stations. It is expected to undergo approximately four months of on-orbit testing and calibration before entering full operational service later in 2026.

This launch marks the second satellite in KAI’s CAS500 program. Originally planned for a Russian rocket years earlier, the mission faced significant delays due to geopolitical issues before being reassigned to SpaceX. Notably, CAS500-3 reached orbit first aboard South Korea’s domestic Nuri rocket in late 2025.

The Falcon 9 mission carried a total of 45 payloads. The majority of the 44 rideshare satellites were manifested by Exolaunch and other partners, representing a variety of commercial, research, and technology demonstration objectives from multiple organizations. All payloads were successfully deployed into low Earth orbit.

This rideshare flight continues SpaceX’s active 2026 launch cadence, leveraging the Falcon 9’s proven reusability and capacity for dedicated and shared missions. The first-stage booster’s recovery status was not immediately detailed in initial reports, consistent with standard Vandenberg operations.

The successful deployment strengthens South Korea’s independent Earth observation capabilities while highlighting the growing international reliance on SpaceX for timely and cost-effective access to space.

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